Starting back to work and our schedule is changing

[mmasson]

I am starting back to work this fall and I must leave by 6:30 am.  DH will bring DS to daycare around 7:30 unless he is out of town.  My day starts at 5:30 and I am looking to begin morning feed at 5:45.  My DS has been following the 3 hour schedule waking up at 6:30 or 7:00 and usually plays for 45 minutes before falling asleep.
My question is: Should I feed him and put him back down before he goes to daycare? or Should we keep him awake for a little while and then let him fall asleep?  He is a morning baby and usually is very awake at this time, talking/cooing and seems very stimulated.  Any help with this would be greatly appreciated.

[Critter]

I don't know what to tell you.  Our daycare wants babies to have a feeding no earlier than 6.  It's really hard for them if they're having to feed lots of babies as they're being dropped off.  We had to work at this, since our son was only 7 weeks when we started taking him.  One thing that I can say is that having him in daycare has helped him get on a more "clock-oriented" schedule.  He's still on a 4 hour easy, but it seems that the times he eats and sleeps are getting to be more consistent.

I say that, but this week he was all out of wack, only sleeping for 20 minutes at a time  :shock: .  Thank goodness Friday was better.  He had a two hour nap in the am and an hour and a half nap in the pm.  Then he came home and had another hour long nap.  I am wondering if the little guy is sleeping too much, but he seems to be doing fine at night, only waking for one feed around 2.

Sorry for rambling!

[mmasson]

I really appreciate your response.  I have worked it out to begin his dayat 6:00.  That way he will be dropped off at daycare ready for his nap.  I will try this out and see how it works.  Thanks again.

[Critter]

Let me know how it goes.

[stopjo]

Hi Monica,
My ds is 7-1/2 weeks old and I will be going back to work in October.  I am planning to send him to daycare 2 weeks before that for few hours and might stay for a while to let  the daycare people know about his schedule.

I start @ 6:00 AM from home.  And dh would be dropping him off at 8:30
I don't know how long your ds sleeps during the night.  The foll. is the plan I am trying to work out.  We are not there yet

E: 4:30 - 4:50 AM  (Like a dream feed)
S: 4:50 : 7:30 AM
E: 7:30 - 7:50
A: 7:50 - 9:00 (Getting ready and reaching the daycare)
S: 9:00 - 10:30
E: 10:30 - 10:50
A: 10:50 - 12:00
S: 12:00 - 1:30
E: 1:30 - 1:50
A: 1:50 - 3:00
S: 3:00 - 4:30
E: 4:30 - 4:50
A: 4:50 - 6:30 (I'll be Picking him up)
    (Cat nap somewhere between 5:00 and 6:00 for 40 minutes)
    At present he just cries and doesn't take that nap
E: 6:30 - 7:00
A: 7:00 - 7 :30 (bath and getting ready to bed)
S: 7:30 - 9:30
E: 9:30 - 9:50 (DF)
Sleep until 4:30

Each feed I give 3.5 oz except DF I give 4 oz.

Hope that helps
Jo